Wall panel attaching and anchoring device



Dec. 31, 1940. l D. a; wALTERs WALL PANEL ATTACHING AND ANCHORING DEVICE Filed OCT.. 23, 1959 Patented Dec. 31, 1,940

UNITED'. STATES WALL PANEL A'r'rAomNG ANDV ANCHORING DEVICE I VBurwood B. Walters, River Forest, Ill., assignor to Chicago Vitreous Enamel Products Cicero, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 23, 1939, Serial No. 300,711

5 Claims.

This invention relates to awall panel attaching and anchoring device and more particularly to an anchoring device for use with metal panels having inturned marginal flanges, such as used in enameled metal wall construction.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a wall panel attaching and anchoring device of comparatively simple 'construction that is easy to employ and that aords av substantially permanent anchorage for metal panels while at the same time permitting free expansion and contraction of such panels under varying atmospheric conditions.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specication and the accompanying drawing.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter vmore fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a paneled Wall assembly, illustrating the use of the attaching and anchoring devices of my invention.

Figure 2 is a broken, enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line II-II of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a broken, enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the line III--III of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a plan View of one form of wall panel attaching and anchoring device.

Figure 5 is a plan View of anotherform of my wall panel attaching and anchoring device.

As shown on the'drawing: y y

The reference numeral I0 indicates generally a panel of the type with which my attaching and anchoring devices are intended to be used. Each of said panels IIJ comprises a rectangular sheet, which may be formed of sheet metal either with or without a coating of vitreous enamel thereover, and provided on all four of its edges with rearwardly extending edge portions II having inand construction of my attaching and anchoring device.

For the attaching and anchoring of the panels IQ to a wall or frame structure I3, which may be formed of wood, brick or other structural material, I provide two diierent forms of attaching and anchoring devices, the one form indicated bythe reference numeral I4 (Fig. 4) being used for the vertical edges of the panel, and the other form, indicated generally by the `reference numeral I5 (Fig. 5) being usedfor the horizontal edges of the panels.- Each of these forms of attaching and anchoring devices is so constructed that upon being cut into two parts, as by severing along the line X--X of Fig. 4, or along the line Y-Y of Fig. 5, forms of attaching and anchoring devices are obtained that are particularly adapted for use at'the extreme lateral and top and bottom edges of a wall of panels.

The device I4 comprises a plate I6 (Figs. 2 and 4) which may be rectangular in shape Yand which may suitably be formed of sheet metal. To one surface of the plate I6 is attached a pair of spring members II and I'Ia, which may be formed from a at ribbon-like band of sheet metal having a fairly high degree of resiliency, orV springiness. the spring members I1 and Ila. are positioned in opposed relationship on the plate I6, with their more remote ends secured thereto, as byrivets I8 and I8a. An intermediate portion I9 and I9a of each of said spring members IIand Ila, respectively, is bowed upwardly and is provided with a free end 20 and 20a, respectively. Said free ends 2|! and 20ct extend toward each other in substantially parallel, contacting relationship to the surface of the plate I6. Reentrant bends 2l and 2 Ia are formed in said bowed portions I9 and I9a adjacent the free ends 20 and 20a thereof. Said reentrant bends 2| and 2Ia are thus positioned in opposed, spaced relationship to each other.

Each of the attaching and anchoring devices I4 is provided with an elongated opening 22 and 22a, one adjacent each end of the plate I6 .and passing through the anchored end ofA-` the Ycorresponding spring member. These elongated openings 22 and 22a are for the purpose of receiving nails 23, or other form of securing means, for xedly attaching the devices I4 to the wall structure or frame I3. By virtue of the elongation of the openings 22 and 22a a certain amount of adjustability is provided so that a certain amount of latitude is given in the positioning of; the nails 23 or other form of securing means. Y -Y Y In the form of my attaching and anchoring means I5 (Figs. 3 and 5) the device comprises a plate 24, which may suitably be rectangularin shape and formedvof sheet metal. A spring member 25 Vis attached,`as by means of a rivet 26, in one corner of the rectangular plate 24. Said spring member 251s, in general, similar in shape and construction to the spring members I'I and Ila, having an upwardly bowed portion 21, a free end 28 and a reentrant bend 29.

In addition to the bowed spring member 25, each of the devices I5 is provided with a hooklike lug 30 struck up from the metal of the plate 24, or otherwise formed thereon.` Said hook-like lug 3D, as lbest"'shown in Fig. 3, has. a free end 3l extending in parallel'V spaced relation tothe sure' face of the plate 24 in the direction of the reentrant bend 29. in the surface of the platef24 in alignment withv the hook-like lug 3U for a purpose'that will later appear.

The devices l5 are providedwith a p1ui-a1ity 'or slots, such as the elongated slotl 33 at oneside of the bowed spring member 25 and the hookelike lug 30 and extending across the 'lineof lseverance YY, and a second, smaller elongated slot 3,4 positioned in one corner of the plate 24 and extending through the springV member 2 5 and the plate; These slots serve for thev positioning of thejsecuringmeans,` such as the nails 23.v By making the slot' 33 ofi considerable length, it is possible, in driving in the nails 23, to avoid cracks or other places the wall or frame structure WhereV it wouldy be undesirable to drive the nails In assembling a plurality of the panels Il), the appropriate formsfof the attaching and anchoring devices' are secured to the structural supporting wall or frame I3 at properly spaced positions. As illustrated in Fig. 1, two of the attaching and anchoringdevices may: be provided for each lateral edge of a panel Ill, but the-number of attachingand, anchoring devices used per panel will depend upon the` size of the panel and upon the specifications lfor the building. In general, it is not` necessary to use the attaching and anchoring devicesalong the vertical edges of the panels, exceptrat the extreme vertical edges of the wall`,.butl the devicesmay beiused on all four sides of Aeach panel,.as illustrated.

The devices, indicated byithereference numerals 35,` positioned along the uppermost top edge of-thevvall-` construction shown in Fig. l, are. formed. by severing devices, such as the device; I5 (Fig. 5) along the line Ye-Y and using the lower half carrying the hook-like lug 30. As

.shown bestinFig. 3;..the inturned marginalange I2.on;the upperV` edge I'Ixof 'one .of the upper row of` panels Ill isY inserted in. backoff the hooklik'e lugs130. and thepanels IG suspended from said` lugs 30. Itwill be noted that the inturned mar- `ginal edge I2 lies in back of the free end of the hook-,like lugs 30, with but slight clearance between the a'nge andthe bump 32'. The bump 32. thus prevents any great amountof looseness in .the litv of the flange I2V in back of the hooklikelugs 30. Furthermore, `the bumps 32, being raised substantially to the same extent as the thickness of the free end 28 of the spring members. the panels are thereby aligned so that their outer surfaces are all substantially flush with veach other.` Y

At the extreme vertical edges of the wall stru"- ture, devices 36 are employed that are formed by cutting af devicelsuch'va's` the device I4 (Fig. 4) along the line X-X. The vertical edge flange I2Lor each of the panelspin the vertical row is sprungu over a spring member'of va. vdevice 36 and thus snappedinto a reentrant bend 2I',' as best shown inIFig.".2`.` The resiliency of the spring member`- permitsa slight movement of the free A raised portion 32 is formed end of the spring, suflicient to permit the anged edge of the panel to be sprung into place. The provision of a anged free end on each of the spring members, such as the free ends 2li, 20a and 28, extending parallel to and in substantial contact with the surface of the plates I6 or 24, resists thel collapsing of the bowed yportion of said spring members and; `prevents said spring members from becoming easily distorted and rendered useless.

Attaching and anchoring devices similar to the thej adjacent panels I0. In each case, a marginal flange vI2 is sprung into a reentrant bend 2l or 2 Iw to begresiliently held therein. Similarly, devices such asthe device I5, are positioned along the horizontal joints between adjacent panels. The inturnedmarginaljflanges I2 along the lower edge of a row of panels are sprung into the reentrant bend 29, as best shown in Fig. 3. The inturned marginal flanges I2 along the upper edges-or the adjacent row of panels are hung over the hook-like lugs 30. As is obvious, the hanging of the ,upper edges of theA panels on the hook-like lugs 30 ismade the rst. operation in the mountingI of the panels ID, and then the lower edges of `thepanels are sprung over the bowedportions 21- of the springs 25 to snap into the( reentrant, bends 29;

After the panels I0 have been installed in placeupon their respective attaching and anchoring means, they cannot thereafter be accidentally displaced or removed under any ordinary circum stances. Each' of the panels is held securely in place, yet is free `to `expand and contract nor mally vwith-changes in atmospheric conditions, owing to the' resiliency of the spring members ofthe attaching ,and anchoring devices. This is an;importantconsideration where the panels are formed of sheet metal having relatively high coeflicients of expansion. For the purpose of sealingwthejoints between adjacent panels, mastic, asirldicated` by thereference numeral 40, may be introduced between the spaced marginal edges II of` the adjacent panels. Suitablemastics are available .on thek market `that Vare both waterproof.` andi resistant against atmospheric conditions, so that water tight joints `can thus be formed between the various panels.

Ifgit becomesnecessary to remove a panel, for replacement or forn other reason, this can be accomplished byburning away one or more edges of the old panel. The panels are spaced sufliciently far apart to enable ajnew panel to be inserted in place, even in between rows of other panelswithout-disturbing but the single panel that is to be replaced. Since the attaching and anchoring devices are fully protected from the Weather, they will last substantially indefinitely without the necessity of vresorting to relatively expensive corrosion lresistant material.

It willjthus be apparent that I have provided a relativelysimpleforrn of attaching and anchoring meansfora particular type of panel, whereby such panelscan vbe readily installed in place by unskilledfworkmen. f

It will,` ofcourse, be` understood that various details-of construction may be varied'through a wide range without; departing from the principles of thisinvention-andfit'is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwisethan necessitated by the scope of the appendedlclaims.v4

I claim as my invention:

1. 4Awall anchoring, device for panels having l CB inwardly turned marginal ilanges, said device comprising a flat backing plate adapted to bedirectly secured to a wall to lie atly thereagainst, and a pair of separate upstanding bowed ribbonlike spring members positioned in spaced opposed relationship on said plate, said spring members having their more remote ends xed to said plate and having flanged free ends normally extending toward each other in substantially parallel relationship to the surface of said plate, each of said spring members having a reentrant bend adjacent a free end, the reentrant bends on the pair of spring members facing each other to receive and anchor inturned marginal flanges of adjacent panels sprung into said reentrant bends against the exing of said spring members.

2. A Wall anchoring device for panels having inturned marginal flanges, said device comprising a wall attaching plate, a spring member fixed to said plate at one end and having a free end provided with a reentrant bend for receiving and anchoring an inturned marginal flange of a panel sprung thereinto against the flexing of said spring member and a hook struck up from said plate having a free end extending toward said reentrant bend for engaging a marginal iiange of an adjacent panel.

3. A wall anchoring device for panels having inturned marginal flanges, said device comprising a plate having elongated openings through which wall engaging means may be inserted, a ribbonlike bowed spring member fixed to said plate at one end and having a reentrant bend adjacent its free end for receiving and anchoring an inturned marginal flange of a panel sprung thereinto against the exing of said spring member and a hook formed on said plate with a free end extending toward said reentrant bend for engagement behind an inturned marginal ange of an adjacent panel.

4. A wall panel assembly comprising a wall structure, a plurality of panels having` inturned marginal flanges and flat anchoring plates for said panels secured directly to said wall structure to lie flatly thereagainst, each of said plates having a separately formed upstanding bowed spring member fixed thereto at one end and provided with a reentrant bend adjacent its free end for receiving and anchoring an inturned marginal flange of a panel sprung thereinto against the flexing of said spring' member, said free end having a ange extending in substantially parallel relationship to the surface of said plate to lie beneath said inturned marginal ange.

5. A wall panel assembly comprising afwall structure, a plurality of panels having inturned marginal fianges and anchoring devices for said panels secured to said wall structure, each of said devices having an upstanding bowed spring member xed thereto at one end and provided with a reentrant bend adjacent its free end for receiving and anchoring an inturned 'marginal flange of a panel sprung thereinto against the ilexing of said spring member and a hook formed on said device with a free end extending toward said reentrant bend for engagement behind an inturned marginal flange of an adjacent panel.

DURWOOD B. WALTERS. 

